I cannot believe that I have not shared my Broccoli Bacon Salad recipe with all of you.
I have been making this salad for years and my family loves it. When I went to make this salad recently I searched my site for the recipe and realized that I have never shared this recipe with you.
Today I am going to fix that, because you all need to try my Broccoli Bacon Salad. It is perfect for a summer picnic or cookout, but we enjoy this anytime. It is really good.
Now, I will say that a lot of people make versions of broccoli salad, but these salads often contain crasins or raisins, at least that is how people in Oklahoma often serve it.
Well guess what, I am not a fan of fruit mixed with my vegetables. I never have been and I never will be. I like fruit and I like vegetables, I just don’t like them mixed together.
Remember that carrot salad that was so popular years ago. I grew up seeing that at almost every picnic, church dinner, or family gathering that I went to and I dreaded being served it.
I apologize to all my aunts and friends that used to make that salad. I am sure it was really good, I am just not a fan of carrots and raisins served together in the same salad.
The same goes for my broccoli salad. I love broccoli and I love craisins and raisins, but please don’t mix them together.
Is anyone else with me on this one? Please tell me I am not alone.
And for those of you that love fruit mixed in with your broccoli salad go ahead and put some in here, just don’t tell me about it. 🙂
Broccoli Bacon Salad
Broccoli bacon salad is a delicious salad for any time of year.
Ingredients
- 6 sliced of bacon, cooked and crumbled
- 2 heads of fresh broccoli, washed and cut into bite sized pieces
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- ¼ cup red wine vinegar
- 1/8 cup of sugar
- 2 teaspoons black pepper
- 1 teaspoon salt or to taste
- 2/3 cup mayonnaise
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
Instructions
- In a large bowl combine bacon, broccoli, and cheese. Set aside.
- In a small bowl combine the remaining ingredients. Add to broccoli mixture.
- Stir to combine well. Cover and refrigerate for several hours.
- Serve and enjoy!
Notes
If you are gluten-free be sure to read labels to make sure that the ingredients are gluten-free.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
8Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 270Total Fat: 22gSaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 15gCholesterol: 30mgSodium: 658mgCarbohydrates: 11gFiber: 3gSugar: 4gProtein: 9g
Nutritional values are approximate and aren't always accurate.
Sounds tasty! I am one who does enjoy fruit in a salad, for example. But I’m quirky about fruit… I love it, but I don’t love it cooked. Baked apples, pies, etc. just ruin it for me. So I understand liking your fruits and veggies certain ways. 😉
@JessieLeigh, Oh see I love fruit pies and desserts! I don’t really like fruit mixed with meat though. I guess I like my fruit on their own not mixed. Now I am curious do you like jams and jelly?
@Lynn, I DO like jams and jellies! But I prefer them cold. 😉
@Lynn, I’m so glad to know there are other people who share my aversion to fruit/veggies in the same salad. And why are raisins the #1 culprit? Yuck! @Jessie, I feel the same way about baked fruit. I like it fresh or canned, and that’s about it. I suppose I am fruit-challenged that way. p/s I also loathe fruit when it’s suspended in jello. Just. Plain. Wrong. (imho) 🙂
Lynn, I love this salad. It is so good. We usually put raisins in ours 😉
I do share your aversion of the fruit mix thing also EXCEPT in this salad, this is the ONLY recipe I make with fruit mixed in. I am making this for the 4th of July but I use sunflower seeds in our and no cheese.
Great salad!
@Kristin, I actually clicked over to ask about the dairy free thing. Sunflower seeds sound lovely! We have dairy allergies in our household and I was hoping we could omit the cheddar cheese and the salad still be tasty. Your idea will be put to good use! And Lynn, this looks fabulous. I’m always looking for salads that don’t have lettuce as my husband can’t stand it. Yay broccoli!!!
Oh, and I also share your dislike of fruits with my veggies. It’s just weird and I can’t stand it 🙂 You are not alone!
I love this salad!! I am always the one who picks out the raisins! So glad I am not alone on the mixing of fruit and veggies, can’t stand it
I can’t believe it! You don’t like fruits in your salads?! {I guess we can still be friends. ;)}
I LOVE this salad–with the addition of chopped apples and raisins , of course. 🙂
@Phoebe @GettingFreedom, Yes, I know I am strange, but I am glad to know we can still be friends. 😉
A woman after my own heart! I do not like raisins mixed with things. Whenever I have this salad, I always pick them out 🙂 Thanks for the recipe!
I don’t like raisins in anything, or really, raisins period. I’ve always thought of it as a kids food, something that I’ll eat if there is nothing else around.
This salad looks really good. I think I know what we are having for lunch tomorrow! 🙂
I make pretty much this same salad, except i use hormel real bacon bits, cause its a little easier than cooking bacon, and I absolutely love to add sunflower seeds to it!!! those make it even better! I also chop up one sweet red onion and throw it in the salad.
I’m with you on this one; I don’t want raisins/craisins in this salad, and I don’t want apples, grapes or such in my chicken salad. Taking it a step further, I don’t want pineapple on my baked ham or on my pizza 😉 I enjoy fruit, just don’t want it mixed with certain other foods . . . . .
@Karen, I can do pineapple on pizza, in fact it is one of my favorite pizzas, but that is one of the few things I like my fruit mixed with meat on. Besides that I pretty much like my fruit all by itself. 🙂
@Karen, we can be the anti-fruit on pizza contingent. Like you, I love fruit. I just like it by itself, all the better to enjoy its sweet fruitiness.
There is one exception I have made. I have a recipe for a crab and orange salad that is actually quite good. I would never have made it myself based on reading the ingredients but was taking a class at our local collage on cooking seafood . That was one of the dishes we made and to be polite, I ate some. It surprised the heck out of me that I actually enjoyed it. I have made it to take to picnics and it was polished off in short order.
I’m the same way about nuts. People love them in cookies or brownies or on sticky buns and I want no parts of them. I’ll eat it if served, but I’ll never request it. Or lemons in tea or diet soda or water – not for me. But, I do like raisins and craisins in this salad as well as in hot cereal, stuffing, grilled cheese (yes, really) and tossed salad. Something about the sweet and salt combo. But, I don’t like carrot salad at all. Not because of the raisins, though.
You’re not alone in your fruit-veggie combo aversion. My husband is the same. I DO like fruit in my salad occasionally, especially spinach and strawberry and occasionally craisins in a specialty greens salad. Since reading this recipe for your Broccoli and Bacon salad, I think the only reason I’ve liked the other fruity versions has been because of the bacon.
I am totally with you on the carrot and raisin salad thing. I have never really liked any of those super-sweet recipes. There must be a way to slightly sweeten carrots for a salad without turning it into a dessert?
I am looking forward to trying your recipe with the lighter mayonnaise based dressing instead just mayo.
This sounds a lot like my broccoli salad. It is very good. Thanks.
Yep, I’m with ya, at least with this salad. I’ve had some like it and do prefer it without raisins. I’ll have to try yours soon!
We make a similar salad, but we add cauliflower and also golden raisins. YUM!!
You are not alone. I also hate mixing fruits with veggies and I never liked the carrot/raisin salad, either. I think it’s why I also don’t like pineapple on my pizza.
I’m eager to try this recipe. The combination of ingredients sound like they would make a tasty dish.
@Janet, I do like pineapple on my pizza, but that is one of the few ways I like fruit and meat combined. And yes this salad is really good, of course everything is better with bacon and cheese. 🙂
@Lynn, agreed. Bacon and cheese do wonders for other foods.
Reminds me of a similar effect with two other flavors. A friend of mine once said that escargot was proof that with enough butter and garlic, anything could taste good.
Wow, I was just wondering today if I would find a recipe that includes broccoli and bacon. Perfect timing! I can’t wait to try this, as it looks really good!
@Lella,
This was sooo delicious! I didn’t have any red wine vinegar so I substituted apple cider vinegar. I also substituted 1 tsp of stevia for the sugar. My husband loved it, which is saying a lot, as he is not a big fan of these types of salads. Between the two of us we ate all of it in two days. Thanks for sharing!
@Lella, Thanks for letting me know that you enjoyed it. I am glad to know that it works with apple cider vinegar.
@Lynn,
I made it again, today (yes, we are addicted!), this time with rice wine vinegar and no sugar. Delicious!
This salad is also good with cherry tomatoes cut into halves or quarters.
@Trishd222, I have never added tomatoes to mine, but we have a lot of cherry tomatoes coming from our garden right now so I will have to try that. Thanks!
Do you think this would work well if it is made the night before serving? or would the cheese get funky?
@Amanda, I have made it the day before and it works fine. Just be sure to stir well before serving. I hope you enjoy it!
@Lynn, thanks for your quick reply. Have a nice weekend. 🙂
I don’t mind mixing fruit with veg. My husband and son are totally against it. It is either a veg. salad or a fruit salad don’t mix them.
Trying this tomorrow. Without raisins, craisins or any other fruit. That would make it desert, and broccoli and bacon do not belong in desert.
I made this last night and it was definitely tasty, thanks for the recipe! I don’t think I’ve had the broccoli salad with raisins/craisins in it, I do like strawberries/blueberries in my spinach salad though ;))
I make this recipe too. I add slivered almonds as well. It is always a hit and I just love it. I don’t add raisins either.
Made it tonight…yummy. The fussy 5 year old gobbled it up even. Everyone declared it a ‘keeper’. I halved the recipe b/c I only had one head of broccoli and it was just fine . Thanks for the recipe! Cheryl
this is the best version of this salad i have seen! so saving it…